Jerusalem Day: A son's tale of an Ammunition Hill hero

In this rare personal interview, Alon traces a life shaped by one absence, and by the extraordinary decision of his father's surviving unit to skip their own victory parade and knock on the doors of every bereaved family instead.

Ten of those men became his surrogate fathers. Their promise: "You will never stand alone." Years later, Alon would follow his father into the paratroopers, convincing his widowed mother to sign a military waiver to make it happen. He also shares a little-known story from the battle itself: with no orders, his father's unit buried 17 fallen Jordanian soldiers and carved in English: "Buried here 17 brave Jordanian soldiers, Army of Israel, June 1967."

Jordanian officers later came quietly to visit. Now director of Ammunition Hill for nearly 17 years, Alon connects generations: veterans, students, soldiers, and after October 7th, 22,000 displaced civilians who found shelter and strength at the site. His mission: making sure the other 99% of these men's lives, not just the battle, is never forgotten. Alon Wald is director of Ammunition Hill National Memorial Site in Jerusalem. The son of Captain Rami Wald, killed there in 1967 at age 32, he served as a paratrooper and IDF officer before dedicating his career to preserving and teaching his father's generation's legacy.